Why are Louise Bennett and Bob Marley not heroes.?

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stingjam

Hypocrisy.

We cuss every day about how bad our politicans have been over the last 45 years, but we feel better giving them 'hero' status for all their 'generousity of spirit', than to give it to some artists who merely 'threw some words together and got rich'.

The bottom line is that Jamaicans have great disdain for the artistic stalwarts who have shaped our minds nationally, regionally and internationally. Thier efforts are not deemed tangible enough to compare to people who get hung, people who start labour unions and people who start violent rebellions.

To be fair, Bob Marley also has his weed-head image working against him. You really cant have kids looking up to a man who smoked marijuana everyday. The smarter kids will ask too many questions that we arent prepared to answer!

Perhaps several of the other national heroes smoked weed, but since there are no pictures available to prove that, they get a 'free pass'.

In my opinion, that makes him a 'real' hero because we are not saying that everything he did was perfect. Its an excellent way to explain that normal people with weaknesses can be heroic too.

Poor Jo-D! She thinks all of those national heroes did those things for her?

Marcus Garvey and Bob Marley are basically similiar in effort, except that Bob wrote songs and Marcus wrote books. Marcus collected money from people for a 'repatriation' that never occured and Bob Marley collected money to perform at shows spreading his message on virtually every continent. He didnt view his words as 'just entertainment' in writing or performing. In many countries Bob Marley performed for free to spread a message when appropriate (including the peace concert right here in Jamaica). Bob Marley was SHOT because of his peace efforts and jamaicans still have little respect for that. I call that envy and 'bad mind'! You envy his abilities, since you never got them!

The day you write work as powerful and appreciated as Bob's and put out the effort to let the world know those words the way he did....perhaps then and only then you might actually deserve hero status. Remember his words have been so powerful that they could concievably be sung by Sen. McCain, Hillary Clinton, Barrack Obama, Osama Bin Laden, The Pope or any other person in a battle for thier own perception of freedom.

How many people are even that successful on Y!A?

Lisa M.

Just because Jo-D has a different opinion from you, Stingjam, makes her "envy and Bad Mind" ? Hmmmm.....She never said she had anything against them, she just said she doesn't believe they should be given hero status. It's an opinion, dude, get over yourself.

Let's Define what a hero is, first of all...
According to my little webster's pocket dictionary, " 1. A person of great courage, spirit, etc., esp. one who has undergone great danger and difficulty 2. Any admireable or highly regarded man".

So now that is clear, I guess Bob and Miss lou fit Most of that criteria. And so does, Jimmy Cliff, Edna Manley, Barrington Watson, Dennis Brown, Michael Manley, Edward Seaga, P.J. Patterson, Heck, even Frikking Reneto Adams. The list goes on and on. I think what we all would really like to know is what is the criteria to be met in order to become a national hero. At least I would like to know.

I can accept Bob as a national Hero, but he wont be mine. I Love his music, but I have heard more powerful lyrics from other artists that haven't (and may never) get the international recognition he has gotten and will continue to get. The reason: Bob is marketed by the media and The Jamaica Tourist Board. The reason why they will never let go of him is because they are sticking to the evil they know. The world knows Bob Marley, so why introduce someone else? I can tell you this, they don't care about his messages, well, maybe only '1 love'. In fact that song is so frikking overplayed it has lost its entire meaning and I have gotten to hate it. They will forever use him to sell this country, which is wrong in so many ways. I don't think Bob, if he was alive today, would have liked how the JTB used that song and distorted it to suit their agenda. Don't tell me about how tourism benefits this country, either....I have an opinion about that too, but I wont get into it right now.
I do not believe he is the best talent/singer/songwriter that Jamaica has ever produced. Yes, he was pretty damn good, but not the best. Where as success is concerned, the producers and the promoters determine who becomes succesful. It's not the artiste, and certainly not us the consumers. We eat what they feed us, which is usually bull these days.
And as for Miss Lou, hehehe... I just have but one question to ask? If she cared about Jamaica soooo much, why was she living in another country until her passing? Better Yet, Why Our money (tax) have to bring out her body to be burried.....and to Dig up her husband to bring him out as well? She was elderly, she knew she would go one day. If she wanted to be burried out here, even if she was still living wherever she was, her husband's body would have been burried here. The lady didn't even want to be burried in Jamaica. I have a lot of respect for her, but as far as she being a hero.....*hiss teeth*

hiss teeth....... none a dem neva save fimi, fiyuh or yuh ancestors LIVES. I admit that they have made a significant contribution to the entertainment industry but how have they made the lives of Jamaicans today better huh? did they fight for our Emancipation.....NO our independence.....NO. I cant be hypocritical and say tht their work shouldn't be acknowledged....it shud be.....and it is BUT giving them order of national hero is ludicrous. (dat mean seh me cudah write 3 poem and 2 song and tun hero 2) eeeeh seet deh. They r legends not heroes

For u MR STING JAM do u know the meaning of a hero...do u own a dictionary a hero is one who displays courage and noble qualities.....u know wat i dnt even have to say anymore lisa has said it all it JUS PAINS MY HEART TO SEE THAT IT IS THE EDUCATED PEOPLE OF JAMAICA WHO SEEM TO HAVE NO SENSE...YES U MR. STING JAM TO EVEN LINK ME HAVING MY OWN OPINIONS TO BEING ENVIOUS AND BANDMIND I PITY YOU MR STINGJAM...POOR THING IT SEEMS YOU HAVE PROBLEMS OR ISSUES AT HOME OR SOMETHING. LOL EDIOT

They are heroes, jsut Unsung Heroes. They are just not nationally recognized as heroes. They are known everywhere as icons and legends though.

toni s

They are legendary icons and they should be heroes.

Nessie

If you think they are heroes than they are heroes to you!

You tell me!

webangelpb

stingjam is on the right track with his response, but I believe it's more than just hypocrisy; a lot of the "deciders" are just like Jo-D in that they can't see, understand, appreciate and/or acknowledge the impact those two cultural icons have had on Jamaica and Jamaicans.

Hell if mi neva did seet, mi woulda kiss fi mi teet to.

But all in good time, fi dem day wi come.

Me Mee

they are recognized though

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